Drier-rack.



N5.' 754,530. PATBNTED MAR. 15, 1904; A. J. ZILKER, A. L. TIDMARSH 5 o.J. ARMSTRONG.

- DRIBR RACK.

A'PPLIOATION-FILED APB. 9, 1903.

imi in ms 110. 754,530. PATBNTBD MAR. 15, 1904.

A. J. ZILKER, A. L. TIDMARSH & C. J. ARMSTRONG.

DRIER RACK. Y

APPLICATION FILED un. 9. 1903. .No nonni.. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-IIIIIIIIIIIHHIHI l" @MNM/mosca No.754,53o.

UNITED .STATES Patented'Max-ch 15, 1904sC PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. ZTLKER, ALBERT L. TIDMARSH, AND CHARLES J. ARMSTRONG,

' 0E AUSTIN, TEXAS.

`istallare-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,530, dated March15, v1904.

Application iiled April 9, 1903. Serial No. 151,904. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

STRONG, citizens of the United States, resid-v ing at Austin, in thecounty of Travis Vand State of Texas, have invented a new and usefulDrier-Rack, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates toV improvements in drier-racks for handlingbricks.

The object of the present invention is to irnprove the construction ofdrier-racks and to provide 'a simple, inexpensive, and efficient oneadapted either to form a permanent portion of a brick car or truck or tobe Simply placed upon the same to be transferred from the car tosuitable supports, and vice versa.

The invention also has for its object toprovide a rack of this characteradapted to be conveyed by a car to a brick-machine and deposited uponsuitable supports and capable when one side is loaded of being partiallyrotated to bring the other side in position for loading.

'A further object of the invention is to pro-v vide a drier-rack havinga plurality of shelves adapted to be successively brought into positionfor receiving bricks and to provide a simple and eiiicient lockingdevice for holding the shelves in an elevated position out of theway.l

Another object of the invention is to enable;

the shelf to be automatically locked when swung upward and to arrangethe hinges and catches to form guides or stops for thebricks.`

With these and other objects in viewthe invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointedout in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, vproportion, size, and minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the drawings, Figurel is a plan view showing two drier-racksconstructed in accordance with this invention, one of the racks beingarranged upon supports and the other rack being located onv a car abovethe track. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the drier-rack, the same being arranged upona car. Fig. 4 is a planview of theU base of the drier-rack, illustrating the construction lofthe turn-table. Fig. 5

isl a plan view of a drier-rack, the shelves being dividedlongitudinally of the rack to provide four independentl shelves orsections. Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, showing one of thecatches, the same being swung inward out of engagement With itskeeperrod. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the catchbeing in engagement with the keeper-rod. Fig. 8 is a plan view of thecatch, the parts beingarranged as shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detailsectional view illustrating the manner of connecting the catch with ashelf. T Fig. 10 is a detail view illustrating a slight modification ofthe invention in which each of the shelves rests upon the bottom of therack. y

Like numerals of reference designate cor- Yresponding parts in allthe'figur'es of the draw- Y ings. l

' 1 1 designate a pair of parallel bars connected by a centralcross-piece 2 and forming.

the foundation pieces or sills of the drier-rack and also constitutingslides. The parallel bars form a support for a circular track 3, whichis secured to the bars near the ends thereof by brackets 4, preferablyL-sh'aped, as shown; but any other form of bracket or clamp may `beprovided. The circular track receives wheels 5 of a drier-rack frame 6,composed of a bottom portion 7 and upright standards arranged in pairsat the ends ofthe bottom of the drier-rack frame. maybe of any desiredconstruction, preferably consist of inclined bars 8 and verticalsupporting bars or braces. rlhe wheels 5 are mounted in suitablebearings or ,brackets and are preferably provided with anges forengaging the inner face of the track.V

The drier-rack is provided with vertical se- The standards, which riesof shelves 9, adapted to receive the bricks and hinged at their outerends between the standards and provided at their inner ends withdepending supporting portions 10, arranged as clearly shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. The shelves may extend entirely across the space -betweenthe standards, as illustrated in Fig. 1l of the drawings, or a pair ofshelves may be provided, as shown in Fig. 5. This construction willpermit one side of the drierrack to be entirely filled with bricksbefore filling the other side, the rack being partially rotated afterone side has been filled to bring the empty side in position forfilling. The shelves are adapted to be swung upward to a verticalposition, as indicated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings, and thebars 8 of the standards 'are inclined to enable lthe hinged outer endslof the shelves to be offset from one another to permit the shelves toclear one another 4andv to be compactly arranged when swung upward. Theshelves are hinged to the standards by rods 11, which extend entirelyacross ,the space between the standards and which pass throughperforations of plates or leaves 12, having depending side flanges 13and provided at the outer end with a depending ear 14. The shelf isprovided with a projecting portion 15, which fits between the fianges 13and which is embraced by the same. The fiange's are arranged at an angleto each otherA to forml a dovetailed connection, but any other suitablemeans may be employed, and the plates or leaves may be secured to theshelves by any 'suitable fastening devices. Each plate or leaf isprovided with upwardlyprojecting end flanges 16 and 17, havingperforations'for the reception of a rod 18, upon which'a slidable catchor locking device 19 is mounted. The catch or locking device consists ofa tubular portion and an arm 20, arranged at right angles to -thetubular p0rtion. The tubular portion of the catch fits on the rod or pin18 and has a limited sliding movement on the same, and it is extendedlaterally and provided with a fiat face 21, arranged contiguousto theleaf or plate, as clearly shown in F ig.' 9, whereby the catch 'orlocking device is prevented from rotating on the pin or rod. Theoutwardly-extending arm 2O is provided witha notch 21a to engage thekeeperrod 2,2, which also extend entirely across the space between thestandards. The arm 20, which when in engagement with the rod 22 projectshorizontally beyond the inclined bar of the standard toenable it to beconveniently operated, is beveled at the outer side of the notch 19 toenable the catch or locking device to engage the keeper-rodautomatically when the shelf is swung upward to a vertical position. Thelatches or locking devices are automatic in their operation, and theywill permit the shelves to be lowered one at a time, and

there is no liability of one o1' more shelves accidently dropping andinterfering with the work. A latch or catch is arranged at one side ofeach shelf and a leaf or plate 23 is located at the opposite side, onlyone latch being required for supporting a shelf in an upright position.vVVhen'the shelves extend entirely across the drier-rack,'one side ofeach shelf may be filled, and the rack may then be partially rotated tofill the other side. The Qdrier-rack can be quickly turned to presenteither side for filling. The inner flange or ear 16, which supports therod or pin upon which the catch is mounted, forms a stop or guide forplacing bricks upon a shelf, as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Theshelves may consist of boards and be provided with suitableperforatioris to facilitate drying bricks, or they may consist of aseries of slats or bars suitably connected together. Also instead ofsupporting the free end of one shelf upon another, as shown in Figs.2and 3, the shelves may vary in length and be provided with legs 24,arranged to rest upon the bottom of the drier-rack, as indicated in Fig.10 of the drawings. A f

The bottom of the drier-rack is connected with the connecting cross-bar2 of the base by a suitable pivot 25, which may be of any desiredconstruction and which, with the wheels 5, will permit the rack to berotated freely.

The bars 1, which form the sides of the base and which may be arrangedeither transversely or longitudinally of a car, are adapted to formslides for moving in ways 26 of the supports. These supports 27, whichmay be constructed in any desired manner and which are designed to belocated adjacent to the brick-machine and kiln of a brick-yard and atany other desired points, are preferably provided at the top withchannel-bars to form the ways 26. The ways 26, whichhaveupwardly-projecting side fianges, are preferably provided withantifriction-rollers 28, mounted at the bottom of the ways 26 andprojecting through openings of the channel-bars, as clearly shown inFig. 2.

In 3 of the drawings the drier-rack is shown arranged on a car with thebars 1 of the base disposed longitudinally of the frame of the car, andin Figs. 1 and 2 the bars l of the base are disposed transversely of theframe of the car and project from opposite sides thereof and areadaptedto be readily arranged in the ways of the supports. The car is designedto be constructed in accordance with an application for Letters Patentof the United States executed by me of even date herewith. The tracksand supports of a brickyard may be arranged in any desired manner, aswill be readily apparent, and in handling bricks an empty'rack is run inbetween the supports on the right-hand track (shown in Fig. 1) and isthen lowered upon the support IOO IIO

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i to the position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is then movedlaterally of the track upon the support between the tracks and afterbeing filled is loaded upon a car at the lefthand track. In order tofacilitate manipulating the drier-racks, the side bars of the base arepreferably connected near their ends by transverse rods 29, having hooks30, adapted to engage rods of an adjacent car to couple the car, asshown in Figs. l and 2, whereby a pair of racks may be simultaneouslyactuated in order that when a full rack is moved to the left on thesupport (shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings) to load it upon a carat the left-hand track an empty rack may be drawn upon the support froma car on the right-hand track. Each car is designed to be provided witha hook at one end, and the rod at the `other end is designed to receiveahook of an adjacent bar, as shown in Fig. 2. By this construction theracks may be readily transferred from cars to supports, and vice versa,to enable them to be filled with bricks and to facilitate tossing orotherwise handling the b rick both at the machine and at the kiln. Therack by being provided with a turn-table obviates the necessity ofemploy-A ing turn-tables and transfer-cars for turning the rack-carryingcars end for end. The racks may be constructed separate from the cars orform a permanent part thereof, and the cars may be provided with ways toreceive the side bars of the base of the rack. v

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a drier-rack, the combination with a pintle-rod, and a keeper-rod,of a leaf or plate provided with means for securing it to a drierrackshelf and having projecting iianges, one of the flanges forming a guideor stop for bricks, and a catch or locking device mounted on the leaf orplate and arranged to engage the keeper, substantially as described. l

2. In a drier-rack, the combination with a keeper, and a shelf, of aleaf or plate'secured to the shelf and provided With projecting iianges,a rod or pin supported by the flanges, and a .catch mounted on the rodor pin and arranged to engage the keeper, substantially as described.

3. In a drier-rack, the combination with a keeper, and a shelf, of apivotally-mounted leaf or plate secured to the shelf and provided withprojecting iianges, one of the flanges forming a stop or guide for thebricks, a rod or -pin supported by the flanges, and a slidable catchmounted on the rod or pin .and arranged to engage ythe keeperautomatically, substantially as described.

4. In a drier-rack, the combination of standards, pintle and keeper rodsarranged in pairs, a vertical series of shelves, leaves or platessecured to the shelves and mounted onthe pintle-rods, -and catchescarried by the leaves or plates and arranged to engage the keeperrodsautomatically, substantially as described. 5'. In a drier-rack, thecombination with a bottom, standards rising therefrom, and pintleV and.keeper rods arranged in pairs, of a vertical series of shelves, leavesor plates mounted on the pintle-rods and secured to the shelves andprovided with projecting portions forming stops or guides for thebricks, and catches mounted on the `leaves or plates and arranged toengage the keeper-rods automatically when the shelves are swung upward,substantially as described. y

6. In a drier-rack, the combination with standards, and shelves, ofpintle-rods, leaves or plates secured to the shelves and provided withprojecting iianges, rods or pins mounted on the anges, slidable catchesarranged between the flanges and mounted on the rods or pins andprovided with projecting engaging portions, and keeper-rods arranged tobe engaged by the catches, substantially as described.

7. In a drier-rack, the combination with a bottom, standards risingtherefrom, Vand shelves, of pintle and keeper rods connecting thestandards and arranged in pairs, leaves or plates arranged at oppositesides of the shelves, one ofthe leaves of each shelf being provided withprojecting iianges and having a pin supported by the same,.and slidablecatches arrranged on the pins and provided with projecting portionsarranged to engage the keeperrods automatically, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a drier-rack, the combination with a shelf, and pintle and keeperrods, of a leaf or platehavingdependingiianges formingadovetailed jointand embracing the shelf, and a catch mounted on the leafor plate andarranged to engage the keeper-rod, substantially as described.

9. In a drier-rack, the combination of a base provided at opposite sideswith slides and having a circular track, superimposedpivotally-connected shelves, and means for suphaving a turn-table, andprovided at the base lthereof with slides arranged to rest upon and movelongitudinally of the supports inthe guides thereof, substantially asdescribed.

1,2. The combination with opposite supports having ways, of a drier-rackprovided with a turn-table', and having slides arranged to'move in theways, substantially as described.

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13. In a drier-rack, the combination of our own We have hereto afflxedour signatures standards, pmtle and keeper rods arranged 1n 1n thepresence of tWo Witnesses.

pairs and connecting the standards, shelves ANDREW J. ZILKER. mounted onthe pintle-rods, and independently- ALBERT L. TIDMARSH.

5 operable automaticallyfoperating catches ear- CHARLES J. ARMSTRONG.

red by the shelves and arranged to engage Witnesses: the keeper-rods,substantially as described. J. R. MCARDLE,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as V. E. BROOKS.

